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Old House Borer

Do you lie awake at night, disturbed by an annoying clicking sound coming from inside your walls? Have your walls become paper thin and covered with tiny, oval-shaped holes? It’s probably not the termite, but the old house borer; another pain in the neck bug that loves to eat wood and can cause some pretty serious damage.

This article will discuss old house borer general facts, larvae, adults, life cycle, damage, presence & control/prevention.

After reading this article, you will know how to prevent and get rid of old house borers so you can maintain a healthy, insect-free home.

Old House Borer General Facts

Old house borers (Hylotrupes bajulus) belong to the long-horned beetle insect group. Arriving in North America around 1875, they have been common pests of buildings and homes for a long time. The North African natives are common in every continent in the world except Australia. In the United States, they are most common on the Eastern and Southeastern coasts. Next to the termite, they are considered the most destructive wood-boring insect.

Old House Borer Larvae

The old house borer larvae do the most damage, as they create tunnels inside wood when they feed, leaving behind oval-shaped exit holes. They also leave frass (their fine, powdery excrement) behind, along with fecal pellets that are packed within the wood galleries. Physical characteristics of old house borer larvae include:

• A head much larger than the body
• 3 eyes on each side of the head
• Off-white color
• Dark brown mandibles
• Can grow to be up to 1/2 inch long

Old House Borer Adults

The old house borer adults can cause wood damage as well, though not as severe as the damage caused by larvae. They feed on wood and create large exit holes that can be up to 1/4 to 3/8 inches in diameter.

Physical characteristics of an old house borer adult include:

• Dark gray, brown, or black in color
• A rounded prothorax located behind the head
• Long, thin antennae that can sometimes be longer than their entire body
• Light gray hairs on the head and prothorax
• Black wings covered with white lines

Old House Borer Life Cycle

The old house borer life cycle stages are as follows:

• Adult beetles emerge during July and August
• After mating, females deposit their eggs in cracks of log bark or stored lumber yard wood (therefore, infested wood may be used in newly constructed buildings)
• Next, the larval stage begins and can last anywhere from 3 to 15 years
• Once they reach maturity, they become adults and usually remain localized

Old House Borer Damage

Old house borers are a major pest of buildings and homes in the United States. Most commonly, they damage log homes and homes or buildings that have been constructed within the last 10 years (despite their name). However, wood that is older than 10 years may be damaged under certain conditions preferred by old house borers (like a high moisture content or the use of seasoned soft wood). Old house borers do not infest hard woods and prefer to feed on well-seasoned coniferous wood such as pine and spruce. They damage the wood by building tunnels that destroy and weaken structural timbers. Where tunnels have been created near the wood’s surface, the wood may have a blistered appearance.

How can I tell if I have an infestation?

It is very difficult to discover old house borers in their early stages because the larvae are very small and develop slowly. Therefore, no signs of damage will be visible within the first year of an infestation. After this stage, however, signs become visible and may include:

• A chewing, clicking sound within the walls (usually during the spring and summer months)
• A blistered appearance
• A rippled pattern on internal areas of tunnels
• Dust beneath areas of infested wood
• Surface bulging (signs of a severe infestation)
• Oval-shaped exit holes, which may be surrounded by frass and fecal material
• Thin appearance to wood’s outer surface

If you are suspicious of a particular area, break open the surface with something sharp to inspect for frass or fecal pellets, which will appear as a fine powder.

Old House Borer Control and Prevention

To prevent an infestation:

• Kiln dry any rough cut wood
• Sand and varnish wood to reduce any cracks and crevices in the surface
• Do not store wood in unheated areas
• Avoid the use of farm-sawed wood
• Avoid the use of freshly cut logs (unless they have been chemically treated)

To control an infestation:

To rid your home of an infestation safely and organically, try EcoSmart organic roach killer to fight off your borer problems.

Katlyn Ziegler